Air Travel concession on LTC for Central Government employees and families extended for 2 Years

Air Travel concession on LTC for Central Government employees and families extended for 2 Years

Extension of travelling by Air on Leave Travel Concession, the announcement, which Central Government employees were eagerly waiting for, is finally here!

Air travel concession, under the Leave Travel Concession scheme, to places like Jammu and Kashmir, North Eastern Region (NER), and also Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been extended by two more years.

For a while it was assumed that the newly crowned Modi Government had shelved this scheme.

We believe that the scheme was revived due to constant reminders from various employee unions, associations and federations.

Twice every four years, Central Government employees are given fare concessions to travel to their home town. Instead of two trips to home town, the employee is eligible to convert one of them as ALL INDIA LTC concession. Depending on their designation, the employees are eligible to utilize air, ship, rail and road transportation facilities, along with the travel class

The Government has been spending crores of Rupees to usher in development in economically-backward areas like Jammu and Kashmir, NER. As part of its various development schemes, the Government is trying to encourage tourism to these areas. The air travel concession, which is being offered for six years now, is part of this attempt. Awareness of this concession has increased only in the past two years and Central Government employees had only recently started utilizing the option. Under the scheme, Central Government employees can travel to these regions, with their families, by air, and reimburse the air tickets. For further information, please read the official notification.

Although there are certain minor drawbacks, such concessions enjoy immense popularity. This time, there is a minor change – Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been added to the list of destinations. The announcement is a boon for the Central Government employees who didn’t utilize this opportunity in the previous round, and travel via air with their entire family.

Source: Central Government Employees News.in

Declaration of assets by Public Servants under Lokpal: Removal of Difficulties Order

Declaration of assets by Public Servants under Lokpal: Removal of Difficulties Order Notification by DoPT

MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS

(Department of Personnel and Training)

ORDER

New Delhi, the 26th December, 2014

S.O. 3272(E).- Whereas the Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of
section 62 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (1 of 2014) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), made the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2014 (hereinafter referred to as the said Order) with effect from the 15th February. 2014 for the purpose of carrying out modifications and amendments in all existing rules regulating the filing of property returns and making of declaration of assets by public servants so as to bring them in conformity with the provisions of the said Act. within a period not exceeding one hundred and eighty days from the date on which the provisions of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 came into force, i.e., the 16th January, 2014;


And whereas, the central Government initiated the process of modifications and amendments of all existing rules dealing with the subject matter of filing of annual returns and making of declaration of assets by public servants in consultation with various authorities, such as, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the Election Commission, the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the Ministry of Law and Justice (Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department), the Department of Financial Services, the Department of Public Enterprises and the State Governments;

And whereas, the comments and suggestions received from above said authorities had been under consideration of the Central Government and the completion of the procedure of finalising the rules under the said Act was likely to take some more time and the process of harmonisation of the existing rules with the provisions of the said Act and the rules made thereunder was taking time beyond the period notified under the said Order, and, therefore, the Central  Government amended the said Order on 14th July, 2014, extending the said period of one hundred and eighty days to a period of two hundred and seventy days;

And whereas, the Central Government, after consulting the Ministries/Departments. including the Department of Financial Services, the Department of Public Enterprises, the Ministry of Law and Justice and the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, made the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Rules, 2014 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) read with clause (k) and clause (l) of sub-section (2) of section 59 read with section 44 and section 45 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, and notified the said rules on 14th July, 2014, prescribing therein the forms in which information and annual returns are to be filed by every public servant;

And whereas, the Central Government forwarded the Copies of the notification containing the said rules to all Ministries and Departments of the Central Government requesting them to take the follow-up action in terms of the said rules. and for ensuring compliance with the said rules by all officers and staff in the respective Ministries, Departments and organisations and public sector undertakings under their control;

And whereas. the Central Government also forwarded the copies of the notification containing the said rules to the Chief Secretaries of all State Governments and Union territories, requesting them to take the follow-up action in terms of the said rules requiring all officers of the All India Services working in connection with the affairs of the State Governments and the officers and staff working in various organisations and public sector undertakings under their control so as to ensure due compliance with the said rules by all of them;

And whereas, concerns and apprehensions were raised by some Ministries and Departments, Organisations and individuals about the posting of every information provided by the public servant on public domain and the complexities involved in posting such details in the prescribed formats and also about exacerbation of vulnerabilities of the public servants after filing such details. specifically of movable property and their publication on the websites of respective Ministries and Departments giving rise to the apprehension of the safety and security of the members particularly children of the public servant;

And whereas, keeping in view the genuine concerns and apprehensions aforesaid, the Central Government constituted a Committee on 28th August, 2014 to simplify the forms and the process in which public servants shall make declaration of assets and liabilities as required under the said Act and the rules made thereunder and the Committee was required to examine the forms prescribed under the said rules and suggest changes therein as may be considered necessary within a period of forty-five days;

And whereas, the exercise of reviewing the existing rules relating to various services and posts with the provisions of the said Act and the rules made thereunder, the process of completion of follow-up action by various Ministries and Departments of the Central Government and the State Governments and the exercise of simplification of forms and the process in which public servants shall make declarations of assets and liabilities, was likely to take time beyond the period of two hundred and seventy days as specified in the said Order (as amended by the Order, dated 14th July, 2014), it had become necessary to extend the said period of two hundred and seventy days and, accordingly, the Central Government amended the said Order on 8th September, 2014. extending the said period of two hundred and seventy days to a period of three hundred and sixty days for the purposes of section 44 of the said Act;

And whereas, the Committee constituted by the Central Government on 28th August, 2014 to simplify the farms and the process in which public servants shall make declaration of assets and liabilities as required under the said Act and the rules made thereunder, submitted its first Report to the Government on 1st October, 2014, wherein the Committee suggested simplification of form prescribed for submission of statement regarding movable assets and the form prescribed for submission of statement regarding debts and liabilities by public servants, under the aforesaid rules;

And whereas, the processing of necessary amendments to the aforesaid rules so as to incorporate the revised forms for filing statement regarding movable properties and the statement regarding debts and liabilities and the circulation of the revised formats, after their due notification in the Official Gazette, to all Ministries and Departments of the Central Government and the Chief Secretaries of all State Governments and Union territory administrations and the further process of follow-up action in terms of the said rules requiring all officers of the All India Services working in a connection with the affairs of the State Governments and the Offices and Staff working in various Organisations and Public Sector Undertakings under their control so as to ensure due compliance with the revised rules by all of them, is a time consuming process and as such the said process cannot be completed within the limit of three hundred and sixty days as contemplated in the principal order as amended by the order dated 8th September, 2014;

And whereas, Central Government has decided to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, to address various deficiencies noticed in the said Act and, in that context, a need has also been felt to amend the provisions of section 44 of the said Act so as to harmonise the provisions of the said section with the relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and rules framed thereunder, the All India Services Act, 1951 and rules framed thereunder, the rules framed by the Central Government in pursuance of article 148 and article 309 of the Constitution and also various statutes setting up autonomous bodies and Public Sector Undertakings and the rules framed thereunder;

And whereas, the introduction of a Bill to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, and its passing by Parliament and enforcement is also likely to take time; and hence it has become necessary to extend the said period of three hundred and sixty days to a period of eighteen months and the Central Government has accordingly decided to extend the period to complete this process;

New. therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 62 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (l of 2014). the Central Government hereby makes the following amendment further to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2014, namely-

In the said Order, in paragraph 2, in sub-paragraph (1), for the words “within a period not exceeding three hundred and sixty days”, the words “within a period not exceeding eighteen months” shall be substituted.

[R No. 407/ 12/2014-AVD-1V(B) l]
JlSHNU BARUA, Jt. Secy.

Note : The Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2014 was published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary, vide notification number 8.0. 409(E), dated 15th February, 2014 and amended by Order, dated 14th July, 2014 published vide notification number 8.0. 1840(E) dated lSth July, 2014; and by Order dated 8th September. 2014 published vide notification number 8.0. 225605) dated 81h September, 2014.

Source: http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02ser/removaldifficultyorder.pdf

Govt forms panel for cadre restructuring of CSSS

Govt forms panel for cadre restructuring of CSSS: Constitution of a Committee for Cadre Restructuring of the Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service (CSSS)

No. 15/1/2014-CSJI(A)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

Department of Personnel &Training

Lok Nayak Bhawan, New Delhi – 110 003.

Dated the 29th December 2014

ORDER

Subject:-Constitution of a Committee for Cadre Restructuring of the Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service (CSSS).

A Committee for the cadre restructuring of the Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service with the following composition and terms of reference is constituted:

Composition: -

(i)     Establishment  Officer  & Special  Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training : Chairman
(ii)    Joint Secretary (CS), Department of Personnel & Training: Member
(iii)  Joint Secretary (Pers.), Department of Expenditure : Member
(iv)   Director (CS-II) , Department of Personnel & Training      Member Secretary

Terms of Reference:-

(i)        To review the structure of CSSS cadre so as to harmonise the functional requirements with the career expectations of its members.

(ii)      To assess the magnitude of stagnation in various grades of CSSS and suggest remedial measures – both short term and long term – to reduce promotional blocks and at the same time prevent gaps from building up.

(iii)    To suggest measures to enhance the effectiveness of service and capacity building of its members.

(iv)     To take into view the suggestions of the stakeholders, viz. participating Ministries, Associations and members of the service for cadre review.

(v)      To review the entitlement of stenographic assistance to various category of officers of Government of India.

(vi)     To examine any issue as referred to it by the cadre controlling authority of CSSS,

2.  The secretarial assistance to the committee would be provided by the CS-II Division

3.  This has the approval of Hon'ble Minister of State for Personnel

(Kameshwar Mishra)

Under Secretary to the Govt. of India

Source: http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02csd/cadrereviewcommittee.pdf

Notice of Strike by United Forum of Bank Unions - Statement of the Case

Notice of Strike by United Forum of Bank Unions - Statement of the Case

UNITED FORUM OF BANK UNIONS

(AIBEA-AIBOC-NCBE-AlBOA-BEFI-INBEF-INBOC-NOBW-NOBO)

SBI Buildings, Bank Street, Koti, HYDERABAD -500 095

K K NAIR  Chairman

MV MURALI, Convenor

UFBU/ 2014 /STRIKE NOTICE

22nd December, 2014

FORM - 1

NOTICE OF STRIKE

NAME OF UNIONS : UNITED FORUM OF BANK UNIONS (U.F.B.U.)
ALL INDIA BANK EMPLOYEES' ASSOCIATION (AIBEA)
ALL INDIA BANK OFFICERS’ CONFEDERATION (AIBOC)
NATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF BANK EMPLOYEES (NCBE)
ALL INDIA BANK OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION (AIBOA)
BANK EMPLOYEES FEDERATION OF INDIA (BEFI)
INDIAN NATIONAL BANK EMPLOYEES FEDERATION (IN BEF)
INDIAN NATIONAL BANK OFFICERS CONGRESS (INBOC)
NATIONAL ORGANISATION OF BANK WORKERS (NOBW)
NATIONAL ORGANISATION OF BANK OFFICERS (NOBO)

NAMES OF ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES

1. Shri. M.V. Murali, Convenor, UFBU & General Secretary, NCBE
2. Shri. C.H. Venkatachalam, General Secretary, AIBEA
3. Shri. Harvinder Singh, General Secretary, AIBOC
4. Shri. S. Nagarajan, General Secretary, AIBOA
5. Shri. Pradeep Biswas, General Secretary, BEFI
6. Shri. Subhash Sawant, General Secretary, INBEF
7. Shri. K.K. Nair, Chairman, UFBU & General Secretary, INBOC
8. Shri Mohan Kumtakar, General Secretary, NOBW
9. Shri. SU. Deshpande, General Secretary, NOBO

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

DEMANDING IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWN OF IBA’S DIRECTION To BANKS To RE-VISIT THE MANDATE:

IBA is delaying the negotiation process since beginning by not conducting the meetings frequently on time-bound basis. Further, with its adamant stand by sticking to a meager offer of 11% increase in pay slip components, IBA has stalled the negotiation process.

In this background, the UFBU was compelled to resort to agitational action and gave call for one day All India Bank Strike on 12th November 2014 and. Relay Zonal Strikes from 2nd December 2014 to 5th December, 2014. in the conciliation meeting held by the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) on the 10th November 2014, even though the representatives of IBA mentioned that they are open and flexible and want to continue the dialogues with mentions, the BA was not willing to increase its offer of 11% although the unions have reconsidered their demand and converge their demands from 25% to 23%; The conciliation ended inconclusive and bank employees observed one day strike on 12th November 2014.

In the next round of conciliation held by Dy. Chief Labour Commissioner on the 1st December 2014 in view of Relay Zonal Strikes, which also ended inconclusive, the Dy. CLC(C) advised IBA to convene a meeting of negotiation committee immediately, in a weeks time and report the outcome .of the meeting to him by 8th December 2014.

In the adjourned conciliation proceedings on 8th December 2014, the Dy. CLC(C) once again advised IBA to convene a meeting with the union officials for fruitful negotiations in a weeks time so as to avert further agitational programmes by the employees and report progress to him at the earliest and adjourned the conciliation to 17th December 2014.

In the conciliation meeting held on 17‘h December 2014, the IBA informed that it has asked all the Banks to re-visit the mandate given to IBA earlier to negotiate with the unions on wage revision. The negotiations were commenced by IBA started in February 2013 only after receipt'of Clear mandate from all the banks by IBA. It will not be out of place to mention here that IBA advised the member Banks to send unconditional mandate to enable IBA to negotiate on behalf of them with UFBU and all the banks gave full mandate. But, now the IBA’s direction to banks for re-visit of mandate is unwarranted and is a deliberate instigation and provocation, which wouid farther complicate the process of wage negotiations. Hence, UFBU condemns IBA’s direction to banks to revisit the mandate and DEMANDS FOR IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL OF IBA'S DIRECTION TO ALL BANKS TO RE-VISIT THE :MANDATE and continue negotiations for immediate and reasonable wage Settlement.

DEMANDING IMMEDIATE WAGE REVISION SETTLEMENT:

Wages and service conditions in the banking sector are governed by the industry-level bipartite settlements signed between the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and the workmen unions and officers’ associations operating in the banking industry. Ali the banks Which have given mandate to IBA to negotiate on behalf of them are parties to the settlements. United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), representing five Workmen union's and four officers’ associations, is currently negotiating witlhIBAfor revision of wages to bank
workmen/officers.

The wage revision for bank employees is due‘from 01.11.2012 subsequent to the expiry of the last Bipartite settlement on 31.10.2012. The Common charter of demands, separately for workmen and officers,‘ were submitted by UFBU to IBA on 30.10.2012 i.e., before the expiryioffiaéft bipartite settlement.

UFBU has been requesting, since the start of negotiations, for a time-bound approach to hold the negotiations on its demands and for conclusion of wage settlement within a reasonable time. But the IBA has inordinately delayed the negotiation process and there is no significant progress in the wage negotiations despite a lapse of nearly two years' time.

IBA is quoting the reason of non-affordability of banks and is stubborn in its offer of 11% increase in pay slip components, as against the demand of UFBU for a respectable settlement with due consideration of the difficulties that are faced by the employees on account of high rate of inflation, which has eroded the salaries of the employees to a great extent and the wage increases considered in other similar Public Sector undertakings despite their tow profits.

Bank employees, workmen and officers, have been performing well despite severe stress due to substantial increase in workload in the banks on account of opening. of many branches under Financial Inclusion and so on despite inadequate staff strength. Bank employees never tagged behind in the successful implementation of all Government sponsored programmes/schemes, including the recently implemented Prime Minister’s Jan Dhan Yojna. However, the bank employees are not being paid adequately..

HENCE, THIS DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE. SETTLEMENT OF WAGE REVISION. 

(M.V. MURALI)

CONVENOR

Source: http://www.iba.org.in/Documents/circularStrike23122014.zip

Clarification regarding issue of medicines under CGHS

No. 2-2/2014/CGHS(HQ)/PPTY / CGHS(P)

Government of India

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

Department of Health & Family Welfare

Nirman Bhawan, Maulana Azad Road

New Delhi 110 108

Dated: the 23rd December, 2014

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Clarification regarding issue of medicines under CGHS

With reference to the above mentioned subject the undersigned is directed to state that the situation arising out of issue of Office Memorandum No 2/2014/CGHS(HQ)/PPTY / CGHS(P) dated the 25th August ,2014 has been engaging the attention of Government for quite some time. Various representations about the difficulties being encountered have been received from different stakeholders i.e., beneficiaries and doctors, necessitating a review of the matter. It was accordingly considered by a Committee under the Chairmanship of AS&DG,CGHS. After careful review and keeping the recommendations of the Committee in mind, the following guidelines are issued to streamline the functioning of the Wellness Centres:

i. The medicines are to be issued as per the CGHS Formulary and guidelines issued by this Ministry in this behalf.

ii. In case the prescribed medicines are not available in CGHS formulary, but are essential for the treatment of the patient, they can be issued / indented by the doctors of the CGHS Wellness Centre on the basis of a valid prescription of the authorized specialist subject to the condition that such medicines are neither dietary supplements/ food items nor banned drugs. Instructions on this issue i.e., non-admissibility of food items etc. issued vide O.M .No. 39-3/2003-04/CGHS/MSD/RS dated 23rd July 2009 and 3rd August 2009 must be followed.

iii. In case of anti-cancer drugs and other life-saving drugs that are not approved by the DCG1 for use in India, each case should be considered by the Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of Special DG(DGHS).

iv. The technical Standing Committee constituted vide 2-2/2014/CGHS(HQ)/PPTY / CGHS(P) dated 27.08.2014 of this Ministry will review addition or deletion of drugs in the CGHS Formulary/ list of Treatment procedures / investigations / listed implants. The Technical Committee will meet once in three months or as per need, whichever is earlier. In the meantime reimbursement for unlisted procedures / implants will be made at the rates approved by AIIMS/GB Pant Hospital / actuals, whichever is less.

2. The O.M. of even number dated 25.08.2014 is superseded to the above extent while O.M. of even number dated 1.10.2014 is withdrawn.

Sd/-

(Bindu Tiwari)

Director, CGHS(P)

(Tel 2306 1831)

Source:http://msotransparent.nic.in/writereaddata/cghsdata/mainlinkfile/File866.pdf

‘One rank, one pension’ scheme before next Budget: Parrikar

‘One rank, one pension’ scheme before next Budget: Parrikar
The Tribune, Panaji, December 26

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said the ‘one rank, one pension’ policy would be implemented in the defence forces before the next Budget.

“One rank, one pension policy will be implemented. We are right now working on its detailing,” Parrikar said. The implementation has lot of financial implications which are being worked out, he said.

“It has a lot of financial implications. Details would be available only once we work it out,” Parrikar said.

‘One rank, one pension’ policy means soldiers of the same rank and same length of service get the same pension irrespective of their retirement date. Parrikar said the announcement to implement the policy was made in the last Budget.


“Now we will have to implement it. I have kept a target that it will be implemented before the next Budget. My effort is to ensure that it should be implemented as soon as possible. My target is that it should not wait for the next Budget,” he said.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha recently, the Congress had accused the government of delaying the implementation of the scheme. The OROP had been announced in the Interim Budget in February, but was yet to be implemented, Congress MP from Rohtak, Deepender Hooda, said in Parliament.

Deepender Hooda accused the bureaucracy of trying to dilute the original meaning of OROP as defined by the Koshiyari Committee, which was the petition committee of the Rajya Sabha. Hooda had asked the government to come out and announce the implementation of OROP. — PTI

Source: The Tribune

Introduction of Single Window System in Railway Board for receiving disciplinary cases of non gazetted Railway Servants

Introduction of Single Window System in Railway Board for receiving disciplinary cases of non gazetted Railway Servants

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(RAILWAY BOARD)

No. E( D&A) 2008 RG 6-29

dated 23.12.2014

The General Manager ( P),
All Indian Railways and Production Units etc.,

Sub: Introduction of Single Window System in Railway Board for receiving disciplinary cases of non gazetted Railway Servants.

Please refer to Board’s letter of even no. dated 4.8.2009 wherein the attention of the Railways was invited to the issue of pendency of disciplinary cases for prolonged periods which results in unnecessary hardship to the Railway servants, especially the retired Railway servants, whose pensionary benefits are withheld due to non finalization of the disciplinary cases.


1.1 It was emphasized therein that disciplinary cases may be finalized speedily, for which Railways may develop a monitoring mechanism both at headquarters and division/workshop levels to avoid unnecessary delays. Further, a checklist was circulated to avoid back references of cases and consequent delays. It is, however, noticed that many Railways are still sending the disciplinary cases to Board’s office without complete documents. While in some cases the checklist s not sent at all, in other cases it not filled in properly leaving out vital information. This creates difficulty in scrutiny and verification of the records in Railway Board’s office leading to prolonged and avoidable correspondences with the Railways resulting in further delay.

2. With a view to expedite scrutiny of disciplinary cases in the Railway Board, it has been decided that a Single Window System be implemented for receipt of the disciplinary cases of non-gazetted Railway Servants in Railway Board’s office, as per the revised checklist, enclosed herewith. The cases should be accompanied with the check list, duly filled in, and signed by Group ‘A’ officer of the Personnel Department of the Railway headquarters.

3. Under the Single Window System, a gazetted officer of the Personnel Department of the Railway headquarter will be required to personally hand over the disciplinary cases of non-gazetted Railway Servants with all the relevant documents/records in E(D&A) branch, Room No.359-F (Third Floor), Rail Bhavan with prior appointment on Telephone Nos.011 23303959, 030-43959 (Rly), 011-23303276 and 030-43276 (Rly) on any working day

4. The cases received from the zonal Railways/Production Units etc. would initially be scrutinized on receipt at the Single Window, in terms of information provided in the check list. Only such cases which are complete as per the check list would be accepted for further detailed scrutiny and examination incomplete cases shall be returned to the bearer, pointing out the deficiencies A List of Do’s and Dont’s is also enclosed for guidance The Single Window System shall come in force from 01.01.2015. Zonal Railways/Production Units etc. may therefore send all the disciplinary cases n respect of nongazetted railway servants to the Railway Board’s office only in accordance with Single Window System, The Single Window System will also be applicable for those disciplinary cases of non-gazetted Railway servants which have been referred back to the concerned Railway/Production Unit due to incomplete documents/information/clarification etc.

5. It is reiterated that:

(a) Disciplinary cases of non-gazetted Railway servants received in Board’s office after 01 01 2015 will not be accepted unless sent as per the Single Window System.

(b) The checklist should be filled in properly and signed by a Group ‘A’ officer of Personnel Department of Railway HQ.

(c) The cases should be handed over personal y at the Single Window by a gazetted officer of Personnel Department of Railway HQ to facilitate attestation of any document, if required.

6. Please acknowledge receipt.

DA: Check list and list of Do’s & Don’ts

(Rajiv Kishore)

Executive Director ( ERP)

Railway Board

Source: http://www.indianrailways.gov.in

Declaration of assets by Public Servants under Lokpal: Removal of Difficulties Order

Declaration of assets by Public Servants under Lokpal: Removal of Difficulties Order Notification by DoPT

MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS

(Department of Personnel and Training)

ORDER

New Delhi, the 26th December, 2014

S.O. 3272(E).- Whereas the Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of
section 62 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (1 of 2014) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), made the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2014 (hereinafter referred to as the said Order) with effect from the 15th February. 2014 for the purpose of carrying out modifications and amendments in all existing rules regulating the filing of property returns and making of declaration of assets by public servants so as to bring them in conformity with the provisions of the said Act. within a period not exceeding one hundred and eighty days from the date on which the provisions of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 came into force, i.e., the 16th January, 2014;


And whereas, the central Government initiated the process of modifications and amendments of all existing rules dealing with the subject matter of filing of annual returns and making of declaration of assets by public servants in consultation with various authorities, such as, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the Election Commission, the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the Ministry of Law and Justice (Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department), the Department of Financial Services, the Department of Public Enterprises and the State Governments;

And whereas, the comments and suggestions received from above said authorities had been under consideration of the Central Government and the completion of the procedure of finalising the rules under the said Act was likely to take some more time and the process of harmonisation of the existing rules with the provisions of the said Act and the rules made thereunder was taking time beyond the period notified under the said Order, and, therefore, the Central  Government amended the said Order on 14th July, 2014, extending the said period of one hundred and eighty days to a period of two hundred and seventy days;

And whereas, the Central Government, after consulting the Ministries/Departments. including the Department of Financial Services, the Department of Public Enterprises, the Ministry of Law and Justice and the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, made the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Rules, 2014 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) read with clause (k) and clause (l) of sub-section (2) of section 59 read with section 44 and section 45 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, and notified the said rules on 14th July, 2014, prescribing therein the forms in which information and annual returns are to be filed by every public servant;

And whereas, the Central Government forwarded the Copies of the notification containing the said rules to all Ministries and Departments of the Central Government requesting them to take the follow-up action in terms of the said rules. and for ensuring compliance with the said rules by all officers and staff in the respective Ministries, Departments and organisations and public sector undertakings under their control;

And whereas. the Central Government also forwarded the copies of the notification containing the said rules to the Chief Secretaries of all State Governments and Union territories, requesting them to take the follow-up action in terms of the said rules requiring all officers of the All India Services working in connection with the affairs of the State Governments and the officers and staff working in various organisations and public sector undertakings under their control so as to ensure due compliance with the said rules by all of them;

And whereas, concerns and apprehensions were raised by some Ministries and Departments, Organisations and individuals about the posting of every information provided by the public servant on public domain and the complexities involved in posting such details in the prescribed formats and also about exacerbation of vulnerabilities of the public servants after filing such details. specifically of movable property and their publication on the websites of respective Ministries and Departments giving rise to the apprehension of the safety and security of the members particularly children of the public servant;

And whereas, keeping in view the genuine concerns and apprehensions aforesaid, the Central Government constituted a Committee on 28th August, 2014 to simplify the forms and the process in which public servants shall make declaration of assets and liabilities as required under the said Act and the rules made thereunder and the Committee was required to examine the forms prescribed under the said rules and suggest changes therein as may be considered necessary within a period of forty-five days;

And whereas, the exercise of reviewing the existing rules relating to various services and posts with the provisions of the said Act and the rules made thereunder, the process of completion of follow-up action by various Ministries and Departments of the Central Government and the State Governments and the exercise of simplification of forms and the process in which public servants shall make declarations of assets and liabilities, was likely to take time beyond the period of two hundred and seventy days as specified in the said Order (as amended by the Order, dated 14th July, 2014), it had become necessary to extend the said period of two hundred and seventy days and, accordingly, the Central Government amended the said Order on 8th September, 2014. extending the said period of two hundred and seventy days to a period of three hundred and sixty days for the purposes of section 44 of the said Act;

And whereas, the Committee constituted by the Central Government on 28th August, 2014 to simplify the farms and the process in which public servants shall make declaration of assets and liabilities as required under the said Act and the rules made thereunder, submitted its first Report to the Government on 1st October, 2014, wherein the Committee suggested simplification of form prescribed for submission of statement regarding movable assets and the form prescribed for submission of statement regarding debts and liabilities by public servants, under the aforesaid rules;

And whereas, the processing of necessary amendments to the aforesaid rules so as to incorporate the revised forms for filing statement regarding movable properties and the statement regarding debts and liabilities and the circulation of the revised formats, after their due notification in the Official Gazette, to all Ministries and Departments of the Central Government and the Chief Secretaries of all State Governments and Union territory administrations and the further process of follow-up action in terms of the said rules requiring all officers of the All India Services working in a connection with the affairs of the State Governments and the Offices and Staff working in various Organisations and Public Sector Undertakings under their control so as to ensure due compliance with the revised rules by all of them, is a time consuming process and as such the said process cannot be completed within the limit of three hundred and sixty days as contemplated in the principal order as amended by the order dated 8th September, 2014;

And whereas, Central Government has decided to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, to address various deficiencies noticed in the said Act and, in that context, a need has also been felt to amend the provisions of section 44 of the said Act so as to harmonise the provisions of the said section with the relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and rules framed thereunder, the All India Services Act, 1951 and rules framed thereunder, the rules framed by the Central Government in pursuance of article 148 and article 309 of the Constitution and also various statutes setting up autonomous bodies and Public Sector Undertakings and the rules framed thereunder;

And whereas, the introduction of a Bill to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, and its passing by Parliament and enforcement is also likely to take time; and hence it has become necessary to extend the said period of three hundred and sixty days to a period of eighteen months and the Central Government has accordingly decided to extend the period to complete this process;

New. therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 62 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (l of 2014). the Central Government hereby makes the following amendment further to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2014, namely-

In the said Order, in paragraph 2, in sub-paragraph (1), for the words “within a period not exceeding three hundred and sixty days”, the words “within a period not exceeding eighteen months” shall be substituted.

[R No. 407/ 12/2014-AVD-1V(B) l]
JlSHNU BARUA, Jt. Secy.

Note : The Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2014 was published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary, vide notification number 8.0. 409(E), dated 15th February, 2014 and amended by Order, dated 14th July, 2014 published vide notification number 8.0. 1840(E) dated lSth July, 2014; and by Order dated 8th September. 2014 published vide notification number 8.0. 225605) dated 81h September, 2014.

Source: http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02ser/removaldifficultyorder.pdf

Grant of Family Pension and gratuity to the eligible member of the family of an employee/ pensioner/ family pensioner reported missing- consolidated instructions by DESW

Grant of Family Pension and gratuity to the eligible member of the family of an employee/ pensioner/ family pensioner reported missing- consolidated instructions regarding.

No. 1(1)/2010-D(Pension/Policy)

Government of India,

Ministry of Defence.

Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare

New Delhi, the 23 December

To
The Chief of the Army Staff,
The Chief of the Naval Staff,
The Chief of the Air Staff,

Subject : Grant of Family Pension and gratuity to the eligible member of the family of an employee/pensioner/family pensioner reported missing- consolidated instructions regarding.

Sir,

The Provisions for grant of Ordinary family pension and DCRG to the eligible members of families of the deceased Armed Forces Personnel/Pensioners are contained in AI 51/80 and AI 8/S/70 as modified from the time to time. The instructions regarding grant of family pension and gratuity to the eligible member of the Family of an Armed Forces Personnel/Pensioner reported missing have been issued vide this Ministry’s letter No 12(16)86/D (Pen/Ser) dated 03.06.1988 and No 12(16)/86/ D(Pen/Ser) dated 23.03.1992. Clarifications/ amendments in this regard have also been issued vide letter No. 12(16)/85/D (Pen/Ser) dated 26.08.1993, letter No.1(1)/2010/D (Pen/Pol) dated 15.02.2011 and MoD letter No. 1(1)/2012/D (Pen/Pol) dated 05.06.2013.

2. It has now been decided to issue consolidated instructions in supersession of previous instructions as mentioned above regarding grant of family pension to the eligible members of family of the Armed Forces Personnel / Pensioner/ family pensioner reported missing and whose whereabouts are not known. It includes those kidnapped by insurgents/terrorists but does not include those who disappear after committing frauds/crime/desertion etc.

3. In the case of a missing Armed Forces Personnel/pensioner/family pensioner, the family can apply for the grant of family pension, amount of salary due, leave encashment due and the amount of DSOP/AFPP fund and gratuity (whatever has not already been received) to the IHQ/Record office concerned, where the officers and JCOs/Ors in Army and equivalent in Navy and Air Force, had last served, six months after lodging of police report. The family pension and/ or retirement gratuity may be sanctioned by the respective Pension Sanctioning Authority’s (PSAs) after observing the following formalities:-

(i) The family must lodge a report with the concerned Police station and obtain a report from the police, that the Armed Forces Personnel/Pensioner/ family pensioner has not been traced despite all efforts made by them. The report may be a First Information report or any other report such as a Daily Diary / General Diary Entry, filled by the Police authorities concerned, as per the practice prevalent in the state /UT.

(ii) An indemnity bond should be taken from the nominee/dependents of the Armed Forces Personnel / pensioner / family pensioner that all the payments will be adjusted against the payments due to the Armed Forces Personnel/Pensioner / family pensioner in case she/he appears on the scene and makes any claim.

4. In the case of a missing Armed Forces Personnel, the family pension, at the ordinary or enhanced rate, as applicable, will accrue from the expiry of leave or the date up to which pay and allowances have been paid or the date of the police report, whichever is later. In the case of a missing pensioner/family pensioner, it will accrue from the date of the police report or from the date immediately succeeding the date till which pension/family pension had been paid, whichever is later.

5. The retirement gratuity will be paid to the family within three months of the date of application. In case of any delay, the interest shall be paid at the applicable rates and responsibility for delay shall be fixed. The difference between the death gratuity and retirement shall be payable after the death of the employee is conclusively established or on the expiry of the period of seven years from the date of the police report.

6. Before sanctioning the payment of gratuity, Service HQrs/ Records office will assess all Government dues outstanding against the employee/pensioner and affect their recovery in accordance with instruction in force.

7. The amount of salary due, leave encashment due and amount of DSOP/AFPP fund will be paid to the family in the first instance as per the nominations made by the Armed Forces Personnel / Pensioner on filing of police report and submission of an indemnity bond as indicated above.

8. The benefits to be sanctioned to the family/ nominee of the missing Armed Forces Personnel / pensioner will be based on and regulated as per the emoluments drawn by him/her as on the last date he/she was on duty including authorized periods of leave.

9. Formats of separate Indemnity Bonds to be used in the case of missing Armed Forces Personnel, missing pensioners and missing family pensioners are available at the official website of PCDA (Pension) Allahabad.

10. This issues with the concurrence of Ministry of Defence (Finance) vide their ID No. 10(3)/2010/Fin/Pen dated 08/12/2014.

11. Hindi version will follow.

sd/-

(Prem Parkash)

Under Secretary (Pension/Policy)

Source: http://www.desw.gov.in/sites/upload_files/desw/files/pdf/1%281%292010-D%28Pension-Policy%29.pdf

Change in date of birth/age of family pensioners for payment of additional pension: Deptt of Ex-Servicemen Welfare

Additional pension/ family pension is allowed on the basis of the date of birth/age recorded in the Pension Payment Order/Discharge Certificate or other office records. Only in cases where the details regarding date of birth/age are not available

No. 1(11)/2009-D (Pen/Pol)

Government of India

Ministry of Defence

Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare

New Delhi – 110011

Dated : 23rd December 2014

To
The Chief of the Army Staff
The Chief of the Naval Staff
The Chief of the Air Staff

Subject: Change in date of birth/age of family pensioners for payment of additional pension.

Sir,
In accordance with the instructions issued vide GOI, MOD letter no. 17(4)/2008(1)-D (Pen/Policy) dated 11.11.2008 and GOI, MOD letter No. 1(11)/2009-D (Pen/Policy) dated 18th Aug 2009, additional pension/ family pension is allowed on the basis of the date of birth/age recorded in the Pension Payment Order/Discharge Certificate or other office records. Only in cases where the details regarding date of birth/age are not available in the PPO/Discharge Certificate or Office records, additional pension/family pension to old pensioners/family pensioners has been allowed on the basis of following documents –

a) PAN Card
b) Matriculation Certificate (containing information regarding date of birth)
c) Passport
d) ECHS Card
e) Driving License (if it contains date of birth)
f) Election ID Card

2. Some representations have been received in the MOD regarding the hardship being caused to old family pensioners in getting the additional pension on account of incorrect recording of the date of birth/age in the PPO. They have been requesting for allowing the change of date of birth in the PPO on the basis of the documents prescribed in Para 1 above. The matter has been examined in the Ministry and (after issue of Deptt. Of P & PW OM No. 1/23/2012 – P&PW (E) dated 13.09.2012) following decisions have been taken :-

(i) Since the date of birth/age of the armed forces personnel is recorded in the PPO on the basis of service records and the date of discharge/retirement/superannuation etc is determined on the basis of this date of birth/age there would be no question of allowing change in the date of birth/age of the retired/deceased pensioner in the PPO. The matter has been examined further. Considering the difficulty in producing any of the above mentioned documents as proof of age by the old pensioners. It has now been decided that the Aadhaar Card issued by UIDAI may also be accepted as proof of date of birth/age for payment of additional pension/family pension on completion of 80 years of age or above.

(ii) The request for change of date of birth/age of the family pensioner (Parents and Spouse) in the PPO may be submitted by the armed forces pensioner/family pensioner, to the concerned Record Office in case of JCO/Ors and, service HQrs in case of Commissioned Officers along with at least one of the documents mentioned in Para I above/Aadhaar Card and declaration on a non-judicial stamp paper regarding the correct date of birth of the family pensioner. If the Head of the Department/Record Office is satisfied then the change in the date of birth of the family pensioner may be allowed provided a bona-fide mistake has been made in recording the date of birth in the PPO. As the entry in the PPO needs to be rectified, it would be carried out by PSA by issuing the Corr PPO on the advice of OIC Records/Head of Office.

(iii) No other document except as indicated in Para 1 above and Aadhaar Card issued by UIDAI will be accepted for change in date of birth/age of the family pensioner in the PPO.

3. In order to avoid any possibility of recording an incorrect date of birth in the PPO, in future the Armed Forces Personnel would be required to submit one of the documents indicated / in Para 1 above or Aadhaar Card issued by UIDAI as proof of date of birth of spouse or parents along with the details of family as indicated in service records of service officer / personnel. In the case of children, certificate of birth from the Municipal authorities or from the local Panchayat or from the head of a recognized school if he/she is studying in such a school or from a Board of Education may be accepted as proof of age.

4. This issues with the concurrence of Ministry of Defence (Finance) vide their ID No. 31(7)/09/FIN/PEN dated 21/11/2014.

Yours faithfully,

(Prem Prakash)

Under Secretary to the Government of India

Source: http://www.desw.gov.in/sites/upload_files/desw/files/pdf/1%2811%292009-D%28Pension%20Policy%29.pdf

Clarification regarding verification of genuineness of Castes/Communities belonging to SC, ST & OBC: Railway Board

Clarification regarding verification of genuineness of Castes/Communities belonging to Scheduled Casts, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes from the Scheduled/Central Lists and Gazette Notifications issued by Government of India.

RBE No.130/2014

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(RAILWAY BOARD)

No. 2014-E(SCT)I/31/1

New Delhi Dated 27.11.2014

The General Manager(P),
All Zonal Railways and Production Units,
The CAO, DMW, Patiala,
The DG, RDSO.

Sub:- Clarification regarding verification of genuineness of Castes/Communities belonging to Scheduled Casts, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes from the Scheduled/Central Lists and Gazette Notifications issued by Government of India.

Some of the Zonal Railways have expressed difficulty and sought clarification regarding verification of genuineness of a caste/community belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes if the same is not included in the existing lists of these communities issued from time to time by this office.

2. In this connection, it is clarified that whenever an addition or deletion to the existing list of SCs/STs and OBCs is done by Government of India through Gazette Notifications, the same becomes binding on all the concerned irrespective of the fact that the same has been circulated by this office or not.

3. Further, verification of genuineness of Castes/Communities belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes may also be done through their respective Lists available online at the links given below:-
(i) http://socialjustice.nic.in/sclist.php (List of SCs)
(ii) http://www.tribal.nic.in/Content/scheduledtribes.aspx (List of STs)
(iii) http://socialjustice.nic.in/policiesacts4.php or
(iv) http://ncbc.nic.in/User_Panel/CentralListStateView.aspx (Central List of OBCs)

The above may please be brought to the notice of all the concerned so as to avoid unwanted reference to this office. However, if some doubts/confusion still persists in the matter, the'same be referred to this office for clarification.

(K. Mal)

Exec. Director, Estt.(Res.)

Railway Board.

Source:  http://www.airfindia.com/Orders%202014/RBE%20138_2014.pdf

Residency period for promotion from Goods Driver to Sr. Goods Driver, Passenger Driver to Sr. Passenger Driver, Goods Guard to Sr. Goods Guard and Passenger Guard to Sr. Passenger Guard

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(RAILWAY BOARD)

NO.E(NG)I-2014/PM7/5

New Delhi, dated:10.11.2014

The General Manager(P)
North Western Railway,
Jaipur
(Kind attn: Shri Karan Singh. CPO)

Sub: Residency period for promotion from Goods Driver to Sr. Goods Driver, Passenger Driver to Sr. Passenger Driver, Goods Guard to Sr. Goods Guard and Passenger Guard to Sr. Passenger Guard.

Ref: (i) Railway Boards letter No.E(NG)I-94/PM1/9 dated 02.09.1994
(ii) Railway Board's letter No.E(NG)I-2004/PM7/16 dated 22.03.2005



This bears reference to North Western Railway’s D.O. letter No.875/E/O/Selection dated 03.09.2014 and letter No.655ई/ मैक्नी/ टैक्नी/ जोधपुर मंडल भाग.1/उपरे dated 21.10.2014, wide which the. issue of promotion from Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) to Sr. Assistant Loco Pilot, without observing two years residency period can be made or otherwise, has been raised.

The matter has been looked into and it clarified that in the restructuring orders of Group ’C’ and Group ’D’ categories effective from 01.03.1993, 20% of posts were placed in senior grade in the various grades of Drivers and Guards.  Hence, for promotion to non-functional. grades such as ALP to Sr. ALP and Goods Guard to Sr. Goods Guard etc., staff are not required to render two years service in the basic grade for promotion to senior grade posts, as earmarked in the restructuring orders ibid. However, this dispensation in residency is restricted to senior most 20% staff lying in this bloc only.

Please acknowledge receipt of this letter.

(Amita Bhalla)

DD-II/E(NG)I

Railway Board

Source: http://www.airfindia.com/Orders%202014/Residency%20period%20for%20promotion.pdf

Fixation of pay on appointment from one ex-cadre post to another ex-cadre post

Fixation of pay on appointment from one ex-cadre post to another ex-cadre post: Clarification by Railway Board -

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(RAILWAY BOARD)

No. E(P&A)-II/2004/PP-9

New Delhi, dated /11/2014.

General Manager,
All Indian Railways/Production Units.

Sub.: Fixation of pay on appointment from one ex-cadre post to another ex-cadre post.

Ref.: PNMAIRF Item No. 8/2008.


National Federation of Indian Railwaymen have raised the issue regarding fixation of pay on appointment from one ex-cadre post to another ex-cadre post. The issue was discussed in the PNM Meeting and it has been decided to re-iterate the provisions of para 4 of Board’s letter No. E(P&A)II-85/PP-24 dated 31/12/1985 in this respect. Para 4 of Board’s letter No. E(P&A)-II-85/PP-24 dated 31/ 12/ 1985 states as follows:
“The matter has been carefully considered and the President is pleased to decide that on appointment to a second or subsequent ex-cadre post in a higher pay scale than that of the previous ex-cadre post, the pay may be fixed with reference to the pay drawn in the cadre post and if the pay so fixed happens to be less than the pay drawn in the previous. ex-cadre post, the difference may be allowed as personal pay to be absorbed in future increases in pay. This is subject to the condition that on both the occasions the employee should have opted to draw pay in the scales of pay attached to the ex-cadre posts”.

Therefore, it is re-iterated that instructions contained in Board's letter dated 31/12/1985 and as further clarified from time to time may be followed for fixation of pay of the staff appointed from one ex-cadre post to another ex-cadre post.

The above has consent of Finance Dte. of Railway Board.

sd/-

(K. Shankar)

Director, E(P&A),

Railway Board

Source: http://www.airfindia.com/Orders%202014/Fixation%20of%20Pay%20on%20appointment_20.11.2014.pdf

Grant of Family Pension and gratuity to the eligible member of the family of an employee/pensioner/family pensioner reported missing- consolidated instructions regarding.

No. 1(1)/2010-D(Pension/Policy)

Government of India,

Ministry of Defence.

Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare

New Delhi, the 23 December

To
The Chief of the Army Staff,
The Chief of the Naval Staff,
The Chief of the Air Staff,

Subject : Grant of Family Pension and gratuity to the eligible member of the family of an employee/pensioner/family pensioner reported missing- consolidated instructions regarding.

Sir,

The Provisions for grant of Ordinary family pension and DCRG to the eligible members of families of the deceased Armed Forces Personnel/Pensioners are contained in AI 51/80 and AI 8/S/70 as modified from the time to time. The instructions regarding grant of family pension and gratuity to the eligible member of the Family of an Armed Forces Personnel/Pensioner reported missing have been issued vide this Ministry’s letter No 12(16)86/D (Pen/Ser) dated 03.06.1988 and No 12(16)/86/ D(Pen/Ser) dated 23.03.1992. Clarifications/ amendments in this regard have also been issued vide letter No. 12(16)/85/D (Pen/Ser) dated 26.08.1993, letter No.1(1)/2010/D (Pen/Pol) dated 15.02.2011 and MoD letter No. 1(1)/2012/D (Pen/Pol) dated 05.06.2013.

2. It has now been decided to issue consolidated instructions in supersession of previous instructions as mentioned above regarding grant of family pension to the eligible members of family of the Armed Forces Personnel / Pensioner/ family pensioner reported missing and whose whereabouts are not known. It includes those kidnapped by insurgents/terrorists but does not include those who disappear after committing frauds/crime/desertion etc.

3. In the case of a missing Armed Forces Personnel/pensioner/family pensioner, the family can apply for the grant of family pension, amount of salary due, leave encashment due and the amount of DSOP/AFPP fund and gratuity (whatever has not already been received) to the IHQ/Record office concerned, where the officers and JCOs/Ors in Army and equivalent in Navy and Air Force, had last served, six months after lodging of police report. The family pension and/ or retirement gratuity may be sanctioned by the respective Pension Sanctioning Authority’s (PSAs) after observing the following formalities:-

(i) The family must lodge a report with the concerned Police station and obtain a report from the police, that the Armed Forces Personnel/Pensioner/ family pensioner has not been traced despite all efforts made by them. The report may be a First Information report or any other report such as a Daily Diary / General Diary Entry, filled by the Police authorities concerned, as per the practice prevalent in the state /UT.

(ii) An indemnity bond should be taken from the nominee/dependents of the Armed Forces Personnel / pensioner / family pensioner that all the payments will be adjusted against the payments due to the Armed Forces Personnel/Pensioner / family pensioner in case she/he appears on the scene and makes any claim.

4. In the case of a missing Armed Forces Personnel, the family pension, at the ordinary or enhanced rate, as applicable, will accrue from the expiry of leave or the date up to which pay and allowances have been paid or the date of the police report, whichever is later. In the case of a missing pensioner/family pensioner, it will accrue from the date of the police report or from the date immediately succeeding the date till which pension/family pension had been paid, whichever is later.

5. The retirement gratuity will be paid to the family within three months of the date of application. In case of any delay, the interest shall be paid at the applicable rates and responsibility for delay shall be fixed. The difference between the death gratuity and retirement shall be payable after the death of the employee is conclusively established or on the expiry of the period of seven years from the date of the police report.

6. Before sanctioning the payment of gratuity, Service HQrs/ Records office will assess all Government dues outstanding against the employee/pensioner and affect their recovery in accordance with instruction in force.

7. The amount of salary due, leave encashment due and amount of DSOP/AFPP fund will be paid to the family in the first instance as per the nominations made by the Armed Forces Personnel / Pensioner on filing of police report and submission of an indemnity bond as indicated above.

8. The benefits to be sanctioned to the family/ nominee of the missing Armed Forces Personnel / pensioner will be based on and regulated as per the emoluments drawn by him/her as on the last date he/she was on duty including authorized periods of leave.

9. Formats of separate Indemnity Bonds to be used in the case of missing Armed Forces Personnel, missing pensioners and missing family pensioners are available at the official website of PCDA (Pension) Allahabad.

10. This issues with the concurrence of Ministry of Defence (Finance) vide their ID No. 10(3)/2010/Fin/Pen dated 08/12/2014.

11. Hindi version will follow.

sd/-

(Prem Parkash)

Under Secretary (Pension/Policy)

Source: http://www.desw.gov.in/sites/upload_files/desw/files/pdf/1%281%292010-D%28Pension-Policy%29.pdf

EPF Claim settlement period reduced from 30 days to 20 days

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Labour & Employment

19-December-2014 18:53 IST

Shri Bandaru Dattareya chairs 205th meeting of Central Board of Trustees of EPF

Claim settlement period reduced from 30 days to 20 days

Union Minister of State (IC) for Labour & Employment, Shri Bandaru Dattareya, today chaired the 205th meeting of CBT, EPF in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by representatives of employers, employees, the Central Governments and State Governments.

During the meeting, certain important issues were deliberated and decisions taken. It was decided that a separate Committee shall be constituted for looking into the question of deployment of EPFO funds for low cost housing, especially matters related to investment. It was decided that ultimate aim would be to benefit the EPF subscribers by providing avenues for housing. It was decided to allow EPFO to open accounts with other nationalized banks in addition to State Bank of India so as to facilitate collection of EPF contributions from employers. The Board recommended that necessary enabling provisions may be made in the scheme. In a major decision, the Board also recommended that the maximum permissible time for EPF claim settlement be brought down from the existing 30 days to 20 days thereby providing quicker service to the subscribers. The challenges posed in the existing investment environment was also discussed by the Board and it was decided that in order to maximize the yield on investment, an expert Committee shall be constituted for making appropriate recommendations. A mechanism for regulating the investments made by exempted funds shall also be worked out by an expert Committee.

The annual report for the year 2014 in respect of EPFO was approved by the Board. As per the report, on an average single day in EPFO, 211 establishments are newly registered and 1,16,206 members are enrolled. Rs 379 crore is received as contribution and Rs. 174 crore is disbursed to beneficiaries. Also, on an average, every single day 49,344 claims are settled and 5.43 lakh member accounts are updated. Also, the organization disposes 778 pubic grievances every single day.

The Board also approved the Revised Estimates for the year 2014-15 according to which 79,377 crore are received (expected) as contribution showing an increase of 14.77%. Out of the above, Rs. 59,346 crore is expected as EPF contribution, Rs. 19,000 crore as pension contribution and Rs. 1,031 as EDLI contribution. Likewise, income (administrative charges) is expected to be Rs. 4,905 crore which is an increase of almost 16% over the last financial year.

SOURCE- PIB

Details of benefits provided to the civilians working in the Defence sector are annexed.

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Defence

19-December-2014

Civilians Working in Defence Sector

Details of benefits provided to the civilians working in the Defence sector are annexed.

From time to time Defence Civilian employees have been raising the demands that they should be granted Field Area allowance and Modified Field Area allowance as applicable to the Service Personnel and for providing other allowances like Aeronautical Technical Allowance, Airworthiness Certificate Allowance, Flight Charge Certificate Allowance etc. at par with technical defence personnel. It has not been found feasible to accept these demands as the job requirements and service conditions of Service Personnel and Defence Civilian employees are totally different.

In addition to pay and allowances, civilians working in the Defence Establishments located in Field Areas / Modified Field Areas are granted the concessions / allowances as under:

(I) Field Service Concessions in Field Areas (except static units):

(a) Free rations on scale applicable to combatants of the Army or Air Force, as the case may be, and fuel.
(b) Free tented / basha accommodation and connected service to the extent possible.
(c) Free clothing on minimum scale of Army Personnel if the Corps Commander / AOC-in-C Air Force Command considers the issue of such clothing essential for operational reasons.
(d) Free remittance of family allotments.
(e) Free medical treatment and hospital treatment.
(f) Wound / injury or family pension or gratuity revised from time to time, as the case may be, or compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Act where applicable.
(g) 2 postage free Forces letters per individual per week.
(h) Remittance within Indian limits of money orders and Indian Postal orders free of Commission upto maximum value of Rs.30/- per month per individual.
(i) Retention of family accommodation allotted by Government at the old duty station on payment of normal rent. If the accommodation retained is required to be allotted to another entitled personnel for exigencies of service, the families may be shifted to an alternative accommodation whether appropriate or inferior to the status of the individual concerned.

(II) Field Service Concessions in Modified Field Areas (except static units):

(a) Free remittance of family allotments.
(b) 2 postage free Forces letters per individual per week.
(c) Remittance within Indian limits of money orders and Indian Postal Orders free of Commission upto maximum value of Rs.30/- per month per individual.
(d) Retention of family accommodation allotted by Government at the old duty station on payment of normal rent. If the accommodation retained is required to be allotted to another entitled personnel for exigencies of service, the families may be shifted to an alternative accommodation whether appropriate or inferior to the status of the individual concerned.

(III) Special Duty Allowance in the North Eastern Region.
(IV) Remote Locality Allowance with certain restrictions.
(V) House Rent Allowance in Field Areas in certain conditions.
(VI) House Rent Allowance in Modified Field Areas in certain conditions.

Defence Civilian employees are also provided Canteen Stores Department (CSD) facilities.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar in a written reply to Dr. Ratna De (Nag) in Lok Sabha today.

Source- PIB

Govt staff threaten strike over FDI push

Central government employees’ unions have threatened to go on an indefinite strike to protest against the BJP government’s decision to allow foreign direct investment in railways and defence.
National Joint Council of Action of the Central Government Employees at a convention also put up a 10-point charter of demands to the government.

“Immediately on assump tion of power, the new government has declared a total ban on recruitment, 100% FDI in railways and its privatization, increasing FDI to 49% in defence sector, closure of printing presses, publication, stationery and forms offices and medical store depots, corporatization of postal services, amended the labour laws against the interest of workers and many other anti-worker policies,” said a statement from Shiva Gopal Mishra, convener of the joint council.

Source:http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31806&articlexml=Govt-staff-threaten-strike-over-FDI-push-14122014009028

Inflation hits a zero, lowest in over 5-years

 As per data released by the government today, the food inflation fell to nearly three year low of 0.63 per cent. Food inflation is on decline since May. AP file photo. For representation purpose
Wholesale price inflation hit a zero level in November, the lowest in about five and half years, on account of decline in prices of food, fuel and manufactured items.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation was at 1.77 per cent in October and 7.52 per cent in November 2013.

As per data released by the government today, the food inflation fell to nearly three year low of 0.63 per cent. Food inflation is on decline since May.

This is probably the first time when WPI inflation has hit exact zero level. The last time WPI was lower than this was (-)0.3 per cent in July 2009.

Onion price contracted 56.28 per cent as compared to a contraction of 59.77 per cent in October. In case of vegetables, the contraction was 28.57 per cent.

However, prices of protein rich items of egg, meat and fish rose during November at 4.36 per cent, while inflation in potato stood at 34.10 per cent.

Inflation in manufactured products, like sugar, edible oils, beverages and cement, fell to 2.04 per cent in November as against 2.43 per cent in the previous month.

Prices in fuel and power segment contracted by 4.91 per cent, as against 0.43 per cent inflation in October.

The sharp drop in WPI inflation, which fell for the sixth month in a row, came at the back of retail inflation declining to a record low of 4.38 per cent in November.

The decline in both retail and WPI inflation for November coupled with contraction of industrial production to 4.2 per cent in October, will put pressure on RBI to lower interest rates to boost growth.

The Reserve Bank has maintained a status quo in interest rate since January. The RBI factors in retail inflation while formulating its monetary policy.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley too on several occasions had nudged the RBI to cut rates. The issue also figured during a debate in the Lok Sabha last week.

RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has emphasised that interest rate cut by itself would not lift the economy.

Industry has been demanding easing of interest rates to boost growth, which has slumped to 4.7 per cent in 2013-14. The economy is estimated to grow in the range of 5.4-5.9 per cent this fiscal.

Source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/447732/inflation-hits-zero-lowest-over.html

No reduction in retirement age

 The Centre on Thursday said there is no proposal under its consideration to reduce the retirement age from 60 to 58 years for its employees.

The retirement age for Central Government employees was revised from 58 to 60 years in 1997 on the basis of recommendations of the 5th Central Pay Commission.
The Centre’s total wages and salaries bill for its employees for the year 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 is Rs. 85,963.50 crore, Rs. 92,264.88 crore and Rs. 1,04,759.71 crore, respectively, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Jitendra Singh informed in a written reply in Rajya Sabha

Source:pib

Alteration of date of birth of a Government Servant — reiteration of the instructions.

F.No.19017/1/2014-Estt (A-IV)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

Department of Personnel and Training

North Block, New Delhi-110 001

Dated : 16th December, 2014

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject : Alteration of date of birth of a Government Servant — reiteration of the instructions.

Rule 56 of Fundamental Rules states that except as otherwise provided in the rule, every Government servant will retire from service on the afternoon of the last day of the month in which he attains the age of sixty years.

Provided that a Government servant whose date of birth is the first of a month shall retire from service on the afternoon of the last day of the preceding month on attaining the age of sixty years.

2.  As per Note 6 below the aforesaid Rule, the date of on which a Government servant attains the age of fifty-eight years or sixty years, as the case may be, shall be determined with reference to the date of birth declared by the Government servant at the time of appointment and accepted by the Appropriate Authority on production, as far as possible, of confirmatory documentary evidence such as High School or Higher Secondary or Secondary School Certificate or extracts from Birth Register. The date of birth so declared by the Government servant and accepted by the Appropriate Authority shall not be subject to any alteration except as specified in this note. An alteration of date of birth of a Government servant can be made, with the sanction of a Ministry or Department of the Central Government, or the Comptroller and Auditor-General in regard to persons serving in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, or an Administrator of a Union Territory under which the Government servant is serving, if —

(a) a request in this regard is made within five years of his entry into Government service;

(b) it is clearly established that a genuine bona fide mistake has occurred; and

(c) the date of birth so altered would not make him ineligible to appear in any School or University of Union Public Service Commission examination in which he had appeared, or for entry into Government service on the date on which he first appeared at such examination or on the date on which he entered Government service.

3. The Supreme Court of India in Civil Appeal No.502 of 1993 — Union of India Vs. Harnam Singh — Judgement dated 9th February, 1993 had observed that :
"Inordinate and unexplained delay or laches on the part of the respondent to seek the necessary correction would in any case have justified the refusal of relief to him. His inaction for all this period of about thirty five years from the date of joining service, therefore precludes him from showing that the entry of his date of birth in service record was not correct".

The observations of the Apex Court was also circulated to all Ministries and Departments of the Government of India vide OM No.19017/2/92-Estt.(A) dated 19-5-1993.

4. All the Ministries and Departments are requested to keep the above in view while processing cases of requests for changes of date of birth.

5. Hindi version follows.

sd/-

(B.Bandyopadhyay)

Under Secretary to the Government of India

Source: www.persmin.nic.in
[http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02est/19017_1_2014-Estt.A-IV-16122014.pdf

KVS Press Note on Christmas Holiday On 25th December 2014

Press Note

Newspaper article in Times of India today i.e., 15th December, 2014 gives a distorted impression that schools have been asked to remain open on 25th December.

2. This is to clarify that CBSE has not directed any school to remain open on 25th December. All schools will follow their vacation schedule including vacation/holiday on 25th December as specifically clarified by CBSE.

3. The proposed instructions of the CBSE are to conduct an online essay competition on 24th and 25th December 2014 which is completely voluntary. CBSE has neither issued any circular on its website nor issued any instructions to any school for remaining open on 25th December 2014.

4. Even the CBSE as an office will remain closed as a public holiday on 25th December on account of Christmas Day. For the event of online essay competitions on that day, no official of CBSE is required to come to office for specifically conducting essay competition as the essays will be received online through the specified time schedule.

5. This online essay competition is completely voluntary and the students if they so desire can participate from their homes or any other place which provides online access. There is no requirement for any school to remain open on that day and the school vacations will be adhered to.

6. Navodaya Schools are residential schools. As the vacation pattern in JNVs depends on climatic conditions, the 25th of December 2014 will be celebrated in those schools which do not have any winter break. In such schools, since it is a public holiday on 25th December, the schools will also remain closed that day as no classes would be held. As a residential school, however, the school functions because children continue to remain there and these children will have the opportunity to clarified that no other activities for this competition are being held except the opportunity to submit their essays online voluntarily.

7. Kendriya Vidyalayas are observing vacations during that period and hence all Kendriya Vidyalalyas will remain closed. Students of Kendriya Vidyalayas if they so desire can participate voluntarily in the online essay competition from their homes or any other place. Kendriya Vidyalaya has not given any directions for the schools to remain open during the vacations.

8. In view of this, no child or student will be deprived of celebrating the holidays or vacations or participating in their own festivals and religious festivals whole heartedly.

9. No instructions have been issued to State Governments.

10. No clarification was sought by the reported from the Secretary, School Education before going to Press.

Source : Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan

Review of Automated System of Allotment of General Pool Residential Accommodation

No.12035/16/2010-Pol.II

Government of India

Ministry of Urban Development

Directorate of Estates

Nirman Bhavan,

New Delhi – 110 108.

Dated the 8th December, 2014

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Sub : Review of Automated System of Allotment [ASA] – cancellation of enblock change waiting list placed above the unified waiting lists in Types I to IV General Pool Residential Accommodation

The undersigned is directed to refer to the Directorate of Estates O.M. of even number dated 22.12.2010 and 18.11.2011 vide which the then change waiting list [which was based on first-come-first-serve principle] of allottees, who technically accepted the allotted accommodation, for Type I to IV general pool residential accommodation were frozen and placed en block senior to the unified waiting lists prepared as per the new guidelines for Automated System of Allotment [ASA] for change allotments in Type I to IV accommodations.

2. The matter has been reviewed and it has been decided with the approval of the competent authority that the enblock change waiting lists for Type I to IV accommodation placed above the unified waiting lists shall be cancelled immediately. Change as well as initial allotments in Type I to IV accommodation shall be made from the unified waiting lists prepared for the purpose as per the extant rules and guidelines with effect from January, 2015. The existing allottees who had earlier applied for change after furnishing technical acceptance of allotment before introduction of Automated System of Allotment and who were placed enblock above the unified waiting lists, shall now have to apply afresh for change of allotment in respect of Type I to IV general pool residential accommodation.

(M.K.Sharma)

Deputy Director of Estates

Source: http://estates.nic.in/WriteReadData/dlcirculars/Circulars20370.pdf

Annual Income Limit for Non-Creamy Layer

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment

04-December-2014

Annual Income Limit for Non-Creamy Layer

The current annual income limit of creamy layer in OBC reservation is Rs. 6 lakhs per annum with effect from 16.05.2013. The parameter/criteria fixed for revision of said annual income limit of creamy layer is Consumer Price Index.

At present, there is no proposal to hike the annual income limit of creamy layer in OBC reservation.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha here today.

Source:pib

Sanction of 7% dearness relief on the Pension of the Pensioner of the State of Madhya Pradesh.(w.e.f. 01-01-2014)

Government of Madhya Pradesh

Finance Department

Mantralaya – Bhopal

No. –F 9- 1 /2014/Rule/IV

Bhopal, dated 05 December, 2014

To,

All Department of Government

The President of Board of Revenue, Gwalior,

All Commissioners of Divisions,

All Heads of Department,

All Collectors,

Madhya Pradesh

Sub – Sanction of 7% dearness relief on the Pension of the Pensioner of the State of Madhya Pradesh.

*****

The State Government had sanctioned 100% dearness relief w.e.f. 01-01-2014 on pension/family pension to their pension to their pensioners/family pensioners vide Finance Department Memo No. F 9-1/2014/Rule/IV dated 30 April, 2014. The State Government has now decided that the dearness relief admissible to pensioners should be sanctioned as given below. The additional pension payable to the pensioner’s aged 80 years or above shall also qualify for dearness relief.

Period                                             Rate of Dearness relief per month

w.e.f. 01-10-2014 (Pension/family 

pension

 for the month of October,

 2014 paid in November, 2014) 107% of Pension/family pension

2. The above dearness relief shall be payable on the Superannuation, Retiring, Invalid and Compensation Pension. This dearness relief shall also be payable on the Compassionate Allowance sanctioned to the employees discharged or removed from service and the said dearness relief shall also be payable to persons receiving family pension and extra ordinary pension under the restrictions contained in the Finance Department’s Memo No.F.B.6/43/76/R-II/IV dated 5.10.76. The dearness relief on the pension /family pension shall not be payable in the cases where the pensioners/ family pensioners are appointed/re- appointed under the State Government or autonomous institutions. This relief on family pension shall be payable in cases where a person at the time of the death of the spouse was in service and was not appointed on compassionate grounds. This relief on family pension shall not be payable in cases where a person on account of the death of the spouse has been appointed on compassionate grounds. In this connection attention is invited to the provisions contained in Finance Department’s Memo NO.F.B.6/10/76/R-II/IV, dated 27.7.76 read with Memo No. No.F.B.6/10/77/R-II/IV, dated 2.5.77 and Memo No. F-12-5/2007/Rule/IV dated 19.4.2007

3. Pensioners, who have commuted a part of their pension, shall be paid the dearness relief on their original pension (pension before commutation).

4. This order shall be applicable in respect of State Government employees who had drawn lump sun amount on absorption in PSU/Autonomous body/Board/Corporation etc and have become eligible to restoration of 1/3rd commuted portion of pension in terms of this Department’s memo No. F 9/9/2006/Rule/IV dated 5-1-2007.

5. Fraction of rupee of the amount to be paid as dearness relief shall be rounded off to the next rupee.

6. All Treasury Officers/Sub Treasury Officers/ Pension Disbursing Officers are directed to make payment of the above sanctioned dearness relief of State Government Pensioners early, keeping in view the amended provisions of S.R. 347 of the M.P.T.C. Volume-1, issued vide Finance Department’s endorsement No.E.-4/1/83R-V/IV, dated 29th January, 1983. After payment of dearness relief the same may be got checked from the usual payment authority received from the Accountant General, Madhya Pradesh. If some inaccuracy/discrepancy comes to the notice, the same may be adjusted in the payment on next month.

By order and in the name of the

Governor of Madhya Pradesh

(Milind Waikar)

Additional Secretary,

Government of Madhya Pradesh

Finance Department

Source:http://www.finance.mp.gov.in/da-pension-order_rule_2014-12-05.pdf

Refund to pension holders through easy method

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1193

ANSWERED ON-03.12.2014

Refund to pension holders through easy method

1193 . Shri Basawaraj Patil

1193. SHRI BASAWARAJ PATIL:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state the steps taken by Government to return Rs. 27000 crores deposited with it, to pension holders through easy method?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

As per the Annual Accounts of Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation for the year 2013-14, an amount of Rs. 27,448.54 crore is lying in Inoperative Accounts as on 31st March 2014. As per Para 72(6) of the Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme 1952, certain accounts are classified as ‘Inoperative Accounts’ in which contribution have not been received for 36 months continuously.

The members have withdrawn an amount of Rs. 4316.70 crores from the Inoperative Accounts during the financial year 2013-14.

The following steps have been taken to facilitate payments of amount lying in Inoperative Accounts to the rightful claimants:

(i) EPFO has launched allotment of permanent numbers to its members called Universal Account Number (UAN). It will facilitate identifying the members without intermediation of the employers. The amount may be claimed by current member in an easy manner in that case.

(ii) Awareness campaigns have been undertaken through the electronic as well as print media from time to time to educate the members.
.
(iii) The employers’ and employees’ unions have also been requested to advise the members to file such claims for settlement.

(iv) Online Transfer Claim Portal (OTCP) has been introduced to facilitate online submission of transfer claim in order to make the transfer process transparent & simple. The adoption of Universal Account Number (UAN) would do away the need for transfer of claims as it will link the previous account of the members.

(v) The settlement of claims have been simplified and following steps are taken to ensure payments to the rightful claimants:

I. Attestation of claim forms by the authorized signatory has been made mandatory where the establishment is in operation.

II. To identify the members in those cases where employer is not available, the attestation by the bank authorities is insisted upon along with at least one of the documents as required under KYC (Know Your Customer) of the bank.

Source:rajyasabha.nic.in